PreDestined Rescue
by VelvetFire
Summary: roswellsttng Q takes the Enterprise into the past to rescue 6 very special teens from a little town called Roswell...(warning: child abuse)
1. Pictures of Missing Kids

Title: Pre-Destined Rescue  
Author: Velvet MacLeod  
Rated: pg-13 (child abuse...not yet, but later)  
Summary: You all saw the summary...it sucked, so I won't repeat it here!  
A/N: If anyone is confused about the time-line, or you know one show but not the other, feel free to email me, and I'll fill you 

A/N#2: Hey everyone...sorry it's been sooo long...I've resorted to writing/editing my story on my home computer, printing it up, and bringing it to the library to re-type and post....it's a lengthy and frustrating process!! Bear with me folks!

Chapter 1-Pictures of Missing Kids  
  
Captain Jean-Luc Picard sat in his ready room, going over their latest assignment. It was a mere research operation. They were simply going to take some samples of soil, air, water, etc. and bring them back to Earth to be analyzed.  
  
_What fun_, Picard mused. His mind wandered to the fact that shore leave was comming in a week, and he couldn't wait to spend time with a certain red- headed doctor. He allowed himself a smile. _Wonder where we'll go this time...  
_  
His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a brilliant, but unwelcome, flash. Picard closed his eyes, and layed his head in his hands. "Oh, no..," he muttered.  
  
"Why, Mon Capitan, I do beleive you missed me!"  
  
Picard looked up at the dark haired man wearing a captain's uniform.  
  
"Q, no one ever misses you." Standing up, he went around his desk to look the intruder in his eyes. "Get off my ship!" With that he tapped his communicator, "Intruder alert!"  
  
Q looked hurt. "Jean-Luc, I thought we were closer than that. You could at least ask me why I'm here, or invite me for a drink."  
  
As he finished his last statement, the door to Picard's ready room opened to reveal Lt. Worf, Cm. William Riker, and a security team standing there with their phasers drawn.  
  
Riker steped forward, "Q!" His voice portrayed his deep unlike for this 'man'.  
  
Q's face lights up at this. "See Jean-Luc, Will missed me."  
  
"No, I didn't. What are you doing here, Q?"  
  
"Ahhh, that is the question, isn't it?" He smiled mischievously at the captain. "It's simple. I'm here to teach you a history lesson. One where your presence is vital to it's outcome. You will help me, won't you Captain?"  
  
Captain Picard started to protest, but Q kept going without pause. "Oh, don't start telling me how you can't interfere with the past and such. I'm really not in the mood. Besides, I don't want your answer now. I'll be back in one hour."  
  
With that he left in the same manner his came; with a flash of light. On the desk in his place was a small, digital timer in the shape of a 'little green man's' head. It was set for sixty minutes. Next to it was a small, handbound book.  
  
The room was silent except for the constant ticking. Everyone looked at eachother, and then at the timer.  
  
"Number One, there will be a meeting in the conference room in fifteen minutes. Inform the senior staff." Riker nodded and left to go carry out his orders.  
  
"Everyone else is dismissed."  
  
Fifteen minutes later, conference room  
  
The room was buzzing with hushed conversation about what had just happened. All anyone knew was that Q had paid the Enterprise yet another visit. Captain Picard stood up to signal the begining of the meeting and everyone went silent.  
  
"I'm sure you are all aware of what has happened. Now, we have to figure out what exactly we're supposed to decide on." He held up the book and timer Q had left them.  
  
"This is all he gave us." He opened the book. It contained dated photos from the year 1989 to 1999. "I'll let you all look at them first before we start discussing what to do." He sat down, and passed the book to his first officer, Commander William Riker. When he was done, he passed it on. Picard waited until everyone had had the chance to study the photos. When it came back to him, he stood back up.  
  
"I had the chance to run the pictures through the computer to identify the people here." He brought up a picture on the computer screen behind him of one of the boys in the book. He had dark hair, and dark eyes. He had a hint of a smile, but the rest of his features were very serious.  
  
"Max Evans, adopted at age 6. Lived in Roswell, New Mexico. Disappeared on April 7, 1999, in his junior year of high school, and was never found." He touched a button and Max Evan's profile shrunk to the upper left corner of the screen. Another profile filled the right half of the screen. This time is was a girl with long blonde hair. Her expression was gaurded.  
  
"Isabel Evans, also adopted at age 6 with her brother, Max. They disappeared at the same time. She has hever been found either." Her profile shrunk down next to Max's and yet another one filled the screen.  
  
"This is Michael Guerin. He was never adopted, but placed in different foster homes until the age of 7, when he was placed in his final foster home in Roswell, New Mexico. He disappeared the same time as the other two, and, like the others, was never found." His profile joined the others in size on the screen.  
  
Touching another button, the picture of three other teens filled the screen. There was a girl with long brown hair and brown eyes. To her left was a boy with laughing eyes and a mischevious grin. Next to him was a girl with short, pixie-like hair. The three were obviously close.  
  
Picard pointed to the brown haired girl. "This is Elizabeth Parker. Next to her is Alex Whitman and Maria DeLuca. They all were juniors at Roswell High, and they all disapeared on the same day as the other three. Unlike the others, though, they were not adopted."  
  
Picard tuned to his officers. "Q has only left us this photo album. The computer was able to come up with minimal information about these teens: birth certificates, some school records, etc. One thing I found odd about the first three is that they have no medical records or any record of where they came from.""What do you mean there is no record of where they came from?"  
  
Picard turned to Counselor Deanna Troi. "The Evans children were found walking down a highway by the couple who eventually adopted them. The Guerin boy was found two days later on a highway about three miles from the location the other two were found. None of them couldn't speak or remember anything before being found, and they weren't wearing any clothes."  
  
Commander Data spoke up. "Did no one see the connection between these three individuals?"  
  
Picard smirked "Aparently not, Mr. Data. If anyone did, it wasn't noted in their files. They were found before computers were used to catalogue everything. Files and notes may have been lost, destroyed, or, God knows, even stolen. Especially in a small, remote town. We may never know."  
  
As everyone digested this information, one question registered in their minds.  
  
Lt. Cm. Geordi LaForge spoke it aloud. "So, what does Q expect us to do about this? Find them? I mean, this was a couple hundred years ago, and, no offense to anyone, but I don't even want to think about the number of unsolved disappearances over that amount of time. What makes these six so important?"  
  
The rest of the officers sat there in silence, pondering the possible answers to Geordi's question. The ticking of the timer suddenly became the only sound in the room. And then it stopped. Everyone froze, and then jumped as it went 'ding'. Their time was up.  
  
a/n: pleeeeeaaaassseeee review! You, the readers and fellow writers, are my inspiration! Flames are welcome....I will then be able to make s'mores! Yummmmm..... 


	2. The Crash, the mission, and suspicion

Title: Pre-Destined Rescue  
Author: Velvet MacLeod  
Rated: pg-13

**Chapter 2-crash, mission, and suspicion** (edited and reposted)

**April 5, 1999, Roswell High  
**Max hated fifth period English for one reason, and one reason only: Liz wasn't in it. Isabel and Michael (when he decided to come) were the only two people he spoke to in the class. Usually, they would have been enough, but they weren't Liz. That combined with the fact that they were stuck with the hardest teacher in the school made the class period almost unbearable.  
  
And to top it all off, it was Monday.  
  
He walked through the door and spotted Isabel first. Upon further inspection, he noticed that their teacher wasn't there yet: a first all year. The anal-retentive man usually had everything set up, and would be sitting there, reading and waiting for everyone to finish entering. He looked back at his sister, who shrugged to indicate that she didn't know anything about the welcome absence.  
  
The bell rang, and still no teacher. Just then, the door flew open, only to reveal a late Michael, who took his usually vacant seat behind Max. Before the door had a chance to close fully, a man walked in. No one had ever seen him before. He looked younger than most of their teachers, maybe mid to late thirties/early forties, with dark hair, and dark eyes. All eyes were trained on him as he made his way toward the empty teacher's desk.  
  
"Hello, class. I'm sorry to tell you that your teacher was called away for a family emergency this morning and won't be making it to class for the next couple days." He stopped and grinned, somehow sensing that this would not weigh heavy on anyone's mind for long. "I will be your substitute until Mr. Thompson returns. My name is Mr. Quinn. However, you may call me Mr. Q."  
  
**Enterprise, conference room  
**Everyone froze in silence, waiting to see what would happen. They didn't have to wait for long. Q made his typical entrance, and the flash of light was starting to give Picard a headache.  
  
"What makes these six important? That is a good question, Mr. LaForge. I'm surprised no one else thought of it." He walked swiftly to where Captain Picard was now standing, and took a seat in his chair. He snapped his fingers, and the image of the teen's profiles was replaced by much older photos.  
  
"Has anyone here ever heard of a little town called Roswell? Or maybe of something known as the crash of 1947?"  
  
Many in the room smiled: it was a topic of jokes. In early-Earth history classes, textbooks only dedicated a paragraph to the event, if that.

When no one said anything, Data spoke up. "If you are referring to the rumored UFO crash in which there was a supposed cover-up, then yes, I do know of it. However, I do not know how it ties in with these three individuals. The crash would have occurred long before they were even born."  
  
"So wait. There was a crash? Is that what you're telling us, Q?" Com. Riker felt like he was missing something. Looking around at his fellow officers, he could tell he wasn't the only one.

"No, there wasn't." Everyone looked past Q, to where their captain was standing. "It was just a rumor that the media blew out of proportion. If there was anything more to it, there was never any proof."  
  
"Ahh, but that's where you're wrong, Mon Capitan. There was a crash, and if anything, this was one of the only incidents in Earth's history where the media didn't exaggerate...too much."  
  
"If there was a crash, why don't we know about it by now?" Geordi had heard very little about the supposed crash. Like everyone else, every piece of knowledge about the incident was in the form of bedtime stories, or jokes.  
  
Q shook his head, and smiled smugly. "Commander Data, what knowledge do you have about a race known as the Mendins? Especially their technological achievements by the early 1900's Earth time?"  
  
Data paused a second as he searched his memory. The moment he found the information, he started to share it with the others. "They are a highly-advanced race, but peaceful. For such an advanced and old race, they are relatively small in population when compared to others. This is due to the number of times the race was almost wiped out by their enemies, the Verrans. They were best known for their ability to transport people in cryogenic stasis, which they had perfected long before humans even explored space. They have abilities that are rare, and almost never seen in other species, and they are distant cousins of the changlings. Other than that, there is not much known about them. They only recently joined the Federation."  
  
This knowledge did absolutely nothing for anyone at the table, except create more questions.  
  
"Before you all start getting worked up over this, allow me to fill in the blanks for you. Let's start in the year 1947, when a Mendin ship crashed in the deserts of Roswell. Three of the aliens are found. We know one escaped, and the other two were killed to "defend the country". How human. Anyway, there had been six beings on that ship. The other three didn't emerge until 1989. They had been kept 'frozen', for lack of a better term. The Mendin's didn't actually freeze their people, but there's no easy or quick way of explaining it now. So, years after the crash, they emerged from their pods not knowing who they were, or where they had come from. They only knew that they were different, in a non-human kind of way. Are you all following this?"

Everyone nodded whether they did or not. They didn't want him to stop the explanation now. Questions could be asked later. "Good. Anyway, where was I? Oh, yes, they knew they weren't human. So they grew up in fear, rightfully so. Which is where you come in."  
  
Picard stepped forward, having heard enough. He knew Q couldn't be serious, and was probably just bored, so he came up with a new way of making their lives miserable. "And where exactly would that be? Are we going to find them? Because I can tell you right now that we will not be changing the . . . "  
  
"No," Q started, a sly smile spreading across his face and shining through his eyes. "You're going to be the ones to take them."  
  
**Crashdown Cafe, April 5, 1999**  
Max walked through the doorway of the Crashdown, and saw that Michael and Isabel were already there, but hadn't ordered yet. He looked down at his watch. _5:30, on the dot. At least I know they haven't had to wait on me_. He had been at a meeting for wrestlers. It was a typical thing for their team. The coach liked to make sure they stayed in shape year-round, instead of just in season. He walked over, and joined his 'family' in their usual booth in time for Liz to walk over and take their order. They were soon drinking their usual drink: cherry coke. It had become a ritual of theirs to go to the Crashdown sometime after school. It allowed them to discuss anything that had happened that day, especially anything unusual. The topic for discussion today was, for once, the same thing everyone else was talking about. The new substitute, and the absence of their original teacher.  
  
"Where has this guy been this year? I mean, he knew more about what we were talking about than Mr. Thompson." Isabel took a drink of her coke, and just sighed. She hated it when a teacher acted like he knew what he was doing when he really didn't.  
  
"What were we talking about?"  
  
"Maybe if you showed up to a couple classes, you would know, Michael." Max had tried everything to get Michael to go school regularly, from bribes to threats. He just never found it important enough.  
  
"Well, maybe if it taught me things I want to know, then I would go." He didn't feel like he needed to defend himself, yet somehow, he always seemed to be doing just that. Max graciously didn't respond.  
  
They sat there, talking about various things. At around six, Liz and Maria got off their shift. They, too, joined them at the booth. The topic of 'The Teacher' was brought up again, but due to overuse, was quickly dropped, and other topics were pursued.  
  
In the middle of a debate over which actor was funnier in which film (Robin Williams in "The Birdcage" or Tom Hanks in "Big"), Michael suddenly interrupted.

"Hey Max, what time is it?"  
  
Max looked down at his watch. "Umm, almost seven, why?"  
  
"Damn it," Michael swore under his breath. "I gotta go."  
  
He grabbed his jacket and ran out the door. The rest of the gang just stared after him.  
  
Maria was the first to break the sudden silence. "Where was he going in such a hurry?"  
  
The others just shrugged.  
  
"I've never known him to be worried about getting somewhere on time in his life. Not even meetings _we've_ called." Isabel seemed more suspicious than worried.  
  
"Well, that's Michael for you." Max's comment seemed to put everyone at ease, and the girls quickly went on to debate which male actor was the sexiest in what movie. As they laughed and fought, Max was left to silently wonder what had gotten into Michael lately. He seemed to be on the edge more than normal, and he was starting to show up for school at least three days a week, which was a record for Michael.  
  
As he sat there, going over different ideas in his head, the girls were left with a nagging feeling in the back of their minds that something was wrong. But no one said anything more about it, and they soon went their separate ways, with the promise that they would continue after school the next day.

End ch.2

Well, I'm on a roll...kinda...hmm...

anyway, send reviews and flames...I'll warm my feet with the flames...it's getting frigg'n cold here!!


	3. Assignments

Title: Pre-Destined Rescue  
Author: Velvet MacLeod  
Rating: Pg-13

a/n: still in the library....typing as fast as I can, because they're closing in 15min!!! I'm coming back tomorrow to finish chapter 4, and post ch 5!!! That's right...a NEW chapter!!!

**Chapter 3-Assignments** (edited and reposted)  
  
**Enterprise, Conference Room**  
Silence. The entire room was in shock from what Q had just told them. No one could completely digest it all at once. However, it didn't take long for some to recover.  
  
"Q, if you think that I will allow my ship to kidnap children from the twentieth century, you've truly lost your mind." Picard's face had turned bright red. No one else dared to speak. It was unspoken that the captain could handle this himself.  
  
"Jean-Luc, surly you don't think I would stoop so low as to 'kidnap children', as you put it, without any just cause."  
  
"How many times have you taken this ship captive for the sake of fun and games at our expense?"  
  
"Well, that was different. It didn't change the past. Thus, it won't affect you now."  
  
"Not good enough Q. You'll have to give me a damn good reason as to why three children will be taken from their homes on earth. I don't care if they are aliens."  
  
"Ahh, but I think you should. What do you think the government of that time would do if they figured out there were aliens living in your 'United States of America'? Hmm? Do you think that they would care about their age?" He got up out of the chair, and briskly walked around the desk. "You talk about me changing the timeline. But have you thought about what might happen if they don't mysteriously disappear?" No one answered him. He paused to let them think about it, then continued.  
  
"I'll tell you what will happen if these three aliens do not disappear when they're supposed to. There are three possibilities.  
  
"One, the Verrans find them. They are then taken from earth and live as captives. As of April 2nd, 1999, there has been a small hunting party on earth consisting of five Verran warriors. They are looking for the three children.  
  
"The second possibility is that your 'US' government finds them. They use primitive medicine and cruel tests on them, all in the name of 'national security'. Your government is already suspicious of these kids. There was an incident concerning two of them that not only put the local police on their tail, but also alerted the Federal government to their presence. It's only a matter of time before they're found.  
  
"And then there's option number three. They could never be found. They grow up on earth like normal humans, never to find out where they came from. However, their contribution's, and their descendants' contributions, would change the timeline drastically. Let's just say that we would not be standing here right now, and some of you wouldn't be anywhere, because you would have never been born.  
  
"So before you talk about changing the timeline, mon capitan, you need to think about all aspects of it." With that, he walked to the exit on the opposite side of the room from Picard.  
  
The captain wasn't convinced totally. "And how exactly is it that you know all of this?"  
  
At once, his lecturing attitude seemed to melt away to be replaced by the happy-go-lucky self they were used to dealing with.  
  
"Why, because I'm Q. I can see other possible time lines."  
  
They had to accept this answer. After all, he was Q, and did have the ability.  
  
"In one day, I will transport you to Earth. The date will be April 6th, 1999." He continued before anyone could comment. "Be glad I'm not doing it this minute. However, I have something else to do at the moment. See you in twenty-four hours." With that, he was gone. The room's silence was once again interrupted only by a constant ticking noise. Looking at the timer, they found that it now held the 'twenty-four', instead of 'sixty', and it was counting down.  
  
"Well," Captain Picard said, as he closed his eyes and rubbed his brow. "I guess we should do what he says, and start preparing a room for them." His voice portrayed his exhaustion.  
  
"You're not actually going to go through with this, are you sir?" Riker's shock spoke for everyone. Deanna Troi sat silently next to him. While she knew how upset everyone was, she agreed with the captain. But she didn't get the chance to say so before Worf spoke up.  
  
"Captain, I do not think that it is wise to follow through. He may be lying."  
  
"And what if he is, Mr. Worf? Do you really think that we have much of a choice in this matter? Whether I like it or not, Q will transport us there tomorrow. There is no way to fight the man. I think the best thing we can do is to just go along with whatever he's doing this time. It's the only way of dealing with him. Besides, there may be something to what he says about the timeline changing in other ways if we don't follow through. That is not a chance I'm willing to take. Are any of you?" Everyone shook their heads to indicate that they were not willing to take that chance.

"Good." He looked at Counselor Troi. "Can you see to it that these people will have rooms? Preferably close to yours. We can't have six traumatized teenagers running around."  
  
He then turned to Dr. Beverly Crusher. "Doctor, see what you can learn about the Mendin's physiology. I want to make sure that if anything goes wrong, we can deal with it. Also, Data spoke of some sort of 'abilities' the race seems to posses. I don't want surprises. Find the extent of what abilities these three may have, and how we may contain them if necessary."  
  
Picard paused to go over a mental checklist of everything that would need to be done. Not thinking of anything that he missed, he made a decision on where to go from there. "I want everyone to get yourselves familiar with both the time period we will be going to, and the Mendin culture. I want as few surprises as possible. Commander Data, I want you to see if you can find anything about these three teenagers, from buried school records, if they exist still, to friends. Worf, I want you and Cm. Riker to work together to keep us from being detected by Earth's satelights. I want every precaution taken to make sure this ship is invisible, as is any away team that becomes necessary. Mr. LaForge, I want you to research all you can on the town of Roswell. Especially the crash in 1947, and how it affected the people of the town in 1999. Number one, Counselor, Doctor," he looked to each one as the addressed them. "I'm putting you in charge of their well-being when they are brought onboard."  
  
They nodded in understanding. "I want you all to check in with me at 0500 hours. That gives you twelve hours to prepare, do your research, and rest. Dismissed."  
end Ch3

a/n: the next chapter will have some child abuse in it....just a warning for those who know they cannot read such material...I myself do NOT tolerate, condone, or support such acts...but it is a real thing, and it is true to the character...there was an entire episode dedicated to it...this story takes place right before that happens (where his friends find out he's being hurt), so in my story, they do not know yet. Thanks y'all!


	4. Revelations

a/n: this chapter has some child abuse in it....just a warning for those who know they cannot read such material...I myself do NOT tolerate, condone, or support such acts...but it is a real thing, and it is true to the character...there was an entire episode dedicated to it...this story takes place right before that happens (where his friends find out he's being hurt), so in my story, they do not know yet. Thanks y'all!  
  
**Chapter 4-Revelations**  
  
**April 6, 1999, Roswell High  
**Michael strolled into his fifth period class, in no hurry to rush to his seat. He glanced around the room, just to see who was there and who wasn't. The strange substitute was there already, as was Max, Isabel, and a couple of other kids. Q looked up as Michael made his way to his seat. Something was off about him. He didn't look that different; he just felt different. He also noticed that he was hugging his jacket to him a little to tightly to just be holding it casually.  
  
Curiosity getting the better of him, Q took a look into Michael's mind, and saw the previous night's events...  
  
**night before, Hank's trailer**  
The screen door creaked loudly, alerting the half-drunk man inside to the entrance of his foster son. Michael tried to sneak into his room before Hank saw him, but the man was no more than five feet from the only entrance into the trailer. He man looked over at the boy, and it took him a moment to figure out who it was.  
  
"Where the hell have you been?"  
  
"Out with my friends."  
  
"Your late!"  
  
"No, I'm not. You told me I had to be home by..."  
  
As soon as he started to speak, Hank got out of his chair. Michael stopped speaking, and started backing up. In a few short steps, he found himself up against the kitchen counter, with no place to go. He looked at his foster father. The man was not yet fully drunk, but his eyes had a mad, glazed look to them. His body movement was only now starting to get a little sluggish. He might have passed the 'walk the line test' if he really tried. Michael figured his only way out of the situation was to go around Hank and run, but when he went for it, Hank roughly grabbed his arm. Michael froze at the touch.  
  
"Did I say you could leave?" Michael didn't answer him. He knew that anything he said would just anger the man further. Unfortunately, Hank's temper was already high that day. He'd been laid off of yet another job, and Michael was his only target.  
  
He tightened his grip on Michael's arm and led him through the trailer. Opening the door to Michael's poor excuse for a room, he threw the boy to the floor.  
  
"Stay there. And don't let me catch you sneakin' around, you hear me?"  
  
With that, he slammed the door shut. Michael heard a click that let him know that Hank had locked him in.  
He stood slowly, and walked over to the window. However, when he raised his arms to open it and get out, sharp pain shot through his right arm. He shuffled back to his dresser and turned on the light. Rolling up his sleeve to inspect where Hank had grabbed him, he saw dark, angry bruise was already forming in the shape of a hand.  
  
He sighed and turned off the light. He was too tired to try getting out.  
  
Besides, he didn't feel like explaining this to Max. Not bothering to take off his clothes, he laid down and fell into a fitful sleep.  
  
**back in classroom**  
  
Q was stunned. He hadn't even suspected, and no one in the Continuum had ever mentioned it when he was assigned this task. He didn't know how to deal with this new knowledge, and felt lost in this situation. Especially since a child was involved. He didn't know how to deal with children.  
  
The bell startled him out of his thoughts, and he looked around to see many of the teenagers looking expectantly at him. He quickly regained his composure, and started the class.  
  
"Ok, everyone. Get your books out and turn to page forty-seven. Start reading where. . ."  
  
Isabel wasn't listening to the teacher. Instead, she was focusing on Michael. She could tell that something was wrong, especially because he hadn't looked at her since entering the room. She studied the way he held himself, and noticed that something was wrong with his arm. He was holding it like it was a baby. She wanted to know what was wrong, and it frustrated her to know that she wouldn't know what it was until she could talk to him.  
  
She got her book out and tried to tune back in to the teacher.  
  
Enterprise, Captain's Ready Room, 0700 hours  
  
Captain Picard watched as the doors shut behind his second in command as he left the room. He stood up from behind his desk, and stretched. For the past hour, he had listened to what information his crew had come up with on Roswell, the crash, the teens, and Mendian culture. He could feel his head pound with every new fact told to him.  
  
Picard pushed his chair back and walked over to the replicator. He ordered his normal Earl Grey tea, and held it as he looked out at the stars. He didn't move when he heard the door open behind him.  
  
"Captain? Are you alright?"  
  
Picard smiled. "I would think you would know that answer better than I would, counselor."  
  
She smiled back at him, and joined him by the window. "I know that you are stressed. You're worried you may make the wrong decision. But you are curious about these three children."  
  
He nodded, and looked back out at the stars. "I sent a message to Starfleet to let them know of our possible 'adventure'. They advised me to continue on our mission and to deal with the situation as it happens. They are just as helpless as we are when it comes to dealing with Q." He chuckled, and Troi smiled. That was one thing they had learned over the years; it was better to just go along with Q. Fighting him got them no where.  
"I guess we just wait now."  
  
He nodded, and continued gazing at the passing stars.  
  
**Roswell High, 5th period**  
The class seemed to drag on for an eternity before the bell rang.  
  
"Don't forget to do questions 3, 5, and 6 for tomorrow, everyone." Q wondered why he even bothered. He'd learned by now that most of the kids didn't do their homework for a substitute. Now, if their normal teacher were there, it would be a different story. The man was too scary to defy.  
  
Isabel watched as Michael rushed out of the room, ahead of everyone else. She turned to talk to Max, but he was almost out the door. Looking toward his destination, she could see the brown-haired girl who held his attention. Rolling her eyes, she grabbed her books and purse, and went in search of Michael.  
  
She found him at his locker. He didn't hear her approach, and he jumped when she touched his arm.  
  
"Hey." He tried to sound nonchalant, but knew it didn't work.  
  
"Hey yourself. What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing's wrong." He shrugged and turned away from her, closing his locker door. He turned to walk away, but she grabbed him by the arm to turn him around. Her hand closed near the same place as his fresh bruise. He hissed in pain and jerked his arm out of her grasp. She stepped back, surprised.  
  
"You're hurt." He looked her in the eye, and saw that this was not something she would let go. However, this wasn't something he was just going to tell her willingly.  
  
"I'm fine. I just bumped it kinda hard earlier. I'm fine. Stop mothering me, Isabel." He knew he was overreacting to her concern, but he was panicked. He didn't want her to worry about him, and he definitely didn't want Max to mother him.  
  
Isabel looked him in the eyes, and she thought she saw a flicker fear. She didn't know what to do, but she knew that if she went to Max, then Michael would immediately shut her out.  
  
The bell rang, signaling the beginning of their lunch period.  
  
"Let's eat."  
  
Michael nodded and followed her. His mind raced with a hundred excuses he could give her. But he knew that every single one of them would be blown out of the water the second she insisted on looking at it. The unmistakable shape of a hand was too large to be any door. Besides, he was too tired and numb to object. Maybe if he'd had more sleep the night before, he would have been stronger against her. On the other hand, this was Isabel...  
  
They took a seat at a secluded bench. She sat next to him, and gently took his right hand in hers, pulling it straight. Holding it still with her left hand, she used her right hand to gingerly lift up his loose long sleeve.  
  
Isabel couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her lips when she laid eyes on the dark, angry bruise. She looked up and searched his face for the answers. He couldn't bring himself to look her in the eyes.  
  
"Hank?"  
  
At his name, Michael started. His eyes darted to hers. He could see the anger she had building up in her, and it became too much for him. He pulled his hand out of hers and stood up.  
  
"I gotta go, Is."  
  
"Wait! Michael..." She started to protest. He cut her off with a look.  
  
"Don't tell Max. Please." His eyes begged her to follow his request.  
  
"How can't I, Michael? You're being hurt. You aren't in a position to think clearly, or see the situation for what it is. We could help you."  
  
He exploded. "Help me? And how do you propose to do that? I'm still a ward of the state, Isabel. Are you going to get your parents to adopt me? I mean, there's nothing you can do. If you take this to the law, then I get sent to another home. And incase you don't know, there aren't any available in Roswell, meaning I would be sent elsewhere. What would that solve, Is?"  
  
He had thought over every possible option he had and the only one he considered possible in the long run was to tough it out. "Please don't lecture me right now. Alright? I'm fine, I promise. I gotta go." With that, he grabbed his jacket and left. Isabel watched him go, and thought of what he had said. It was true that they couldn't go to Valenti with this. And telling their parents would only guarantee Valenti's finding out. Food forgotten, she tried to figure out the solution in silence.  
****  
Max saw his sister and friend walk off to the bench they all used for privacy. He watched as they fought about something, and then saw Michael storm off. He could almost see Isabel's mind at work. She had the look on her face that told him something bad had happened.  
  
He picked up his books and walked over to her. She didn't move as he approached her and sat down. Only when he lightly touched her arm did she look up. He was startled to see tears in her eyes.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
She shook her head. "I can't tell you."  
  
Max started to protest, but she stopped him. "If you want to know, you'll have to talk to him yourself."  
  
He nodded, understanding her hesitation to betray Michael. Their friend was untrusting enough; they didn't need to add their names to his list. Max got up to leave when Isabel grabbed his hand. He looked into her tear- filled eyes.  
  
"Max, for his sake, talk to him soon." He hear an urgency in her voice that she reserved for emergencies only. He nodded, and walked off, trying to figure out how he was going to go about this.

Next: Ch. 5-Arrivals and Interventions


	5. Arrivals and Interventions

A/N: Once again, sorry it's taken so long...like I said earlier, I'm typing it on my home computer, printing it up there, then bringing the copies to the public library, re-typing it on THEIR computer, then posting it on ....needless to say, it's a looong process. And now...onto the long-awaited new chapter.....toodles!

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**Chapter 5-Arrivals and Interventions**

****

****

**Enterprise, Bridge**

Picard sat in his chair at the center of the bridge. Commander Riker sat to his right, and Counselor Troi sat to his left. They were dressed in twentieth-century clothing. They sat in silence, but they all knew what the others were thinking. It was merely minutes away from when Q would reappear and transport them all to Earth of the past. Everyone aboard the Enterprise was ready for it. They had held another meeting to make sure everything was taken into account. The teens' rooms were set up, and the crew was caught up on the facts about both the Mendian culture and Roswell.

The tension on the bridge was broken by the flash, alerting the crew to Q's arrival. He wore his typical Starfleet captain's uniform, and was smiling.

"Are you ready, Mon Capitan?"

Captain Picard frowned. "Would it really matter if we weren't, Q?"

"No." And in a flash, they left their time and space...

****

**April 6, 1999, Hank's Trailer**

Max brought the jeep to a stop just outside of the trailer park. He had searched for Michael since school had let out an hour and a half ago. Not finding him at the diner, or anywhere else he usually hung out, Max had decided to check the one place Michael avoided spending too much time at: his home.

_Not that Michael considers this place his home_, Max thought sadly. _Who would?_ The place was worn down, and dirty. There were several empty beer cans laying on the ground just outside the trailer. From somewhere in the park, music was blasting, almost drowning out the sound of a man and a woman screaming at each other.

Max hated coming to this area of town almost as much as Michael hated him coming. Straightening his shoulders, he walked up to the door and knocked, determined to find Michael.

He knocked three times and had turned to leave when Michael appeared in the doorway. Max studied him and found that he couldn't remember ever seeing Michael as tense as he was right now. His eyes looked tired, but guarded, and he wouldn't look Max in the eye when he asked what his friend was doing there.

"I was worried about you."

Michael sighed loudly. "Yeah, well, I'm fine. OK?"

Max was used to him being difficult, and almost smiled at the typical Michael-sarcasm. He wondered if Michael knew just how not ok he sounded.

"Well, if you're ok, can I come in and talk to you?"

Whatever reaction Max had been expecting, it wasn't anything close to what he saw. Michael's face dropped, and he looked around quickly, as if he were expecting to see someone. His whole body seemed to wind up even tighter than before.

"No! Umm, I mean, I'm kinda busy right now. So can you leave, and we can, umm, talk later. Ok, Maxwell?"

Max stood, stunned, for a moment before responding. "What are you doing? Maybe I can help." He started to walk forward to enter the trailer, when Michael quickly stepped closer to Max, blocking him.

"No. You can't help. Now just go, Max. I'm fine." Michael finally looked Max directly in the eye. Max could see the anger that Michael was showing at the moment, but he also saw fear. And that worried Max. Michael just didn't show fear. But he knew that getting Michael to tell him what was scaring him would be impossible. He had no choice but to leave.

"Ok, Michael. Just remember, my window is always open if you need it."

With that, Max turned and went back to the jeep.

Michael watched through the screen door as his friend left. He suppressed the urge to ask him to come back, or to run out and join him in the jeep. But then he saw Hank's truck coming down the same road Max pulled out into. Michael quickly went to his room without bothering to turn on his light, closed the door, and laid down on his bed. Closing his eyes, he hoped he would be able to get some sleep before Hank's beer ran out.

****

**April 6, 1999, Somewhere near Earth**

The light died down to reveal Earth of the past. They stared in silence out the viewscreen. It could almost be mistaken for their Earth; well, almost. This one was missing all the stations in orbit around it, and the atmosphere was slightly different.

Captain Picard took everything in for a moment, then took charge as he usually did.

"Report!"

Commander Data was the first to reply. "We did in fact arrive at April 6, 1999. I have been able to confirm in by picking up radio transmissions from Earth. They do not seem to be able to contain their communication signals yet. Most of them are being bounced out into space." Data puzzled over this: trying to figure out why the people of Earth didn't seem to think this to be a problem.

"Commander," the captain smiled at the intelligent, but naïve, android, "most people of this time don't even believe in aliens. So, if that were true, there would be no reason to protect their transmissions from the heavens."

Data frowned, but nodded.

"Captain, there appears to be tracking satelights, but they are of no threat to the Enterprise." The captain turned his attention to Lt. Worf. "Their range is not far, and they can be easily manipulated by our computers."

"Very good, Mr. Worf. Please make the necessary 'adjustments' to the satelights to be sure we are not detected."

Before Worf had the chance to start, Q appeared on the bridge. Until that moment, no one had realized he had left.

The bridge crew stared at the familiar intruder. He was no longer wearing his 'Starfleet uniform'. Now, he was clothed in blue jeans and a white t-shirt.

"Well, Mon Capitan, are you ready?"

"What exactly are we supposed to be ready for, Q? I mean, what do you expect us to do? Just go down there and grab them?" As prepared as the crew was for everything, they were still clueless as to what exactly they were going to be doing.

Q laughed. "You worry too much, Mon Capitan. Just go along with what I do, and you will know what to do when the time comes. But, right now, we are going down to eat at one of the strangest restaurants my presence has ever graced."

And with that, Q and Picard disappeared from the Enterprise, leaving in the captain's chair a large, green, alien doll.

Riker jumped up. "Deanna, you're with me. Com. Data, you have the bridge." He tapped his communicator. "Dr. Crusher, please meet me in Transporter room 2. Bring your medical kit. We're going down."

With that, he and the counselor left for the turbolift.

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an: if anyone out there knows how I can insert astricks and spaces inbetween paragraphs, I'd be much obliged...)

Next: Ch6-_Aliens in an Alien Diner_


	6. Aliens in an Alien Diner

Chapter 6-Aliens in an Alien Diner 

**Alley near Crashdown, April 6, 5pm**

Jean-Luc Picard looked around at his unfamiliar surroundings, then turned to Q to see what the being was going to do.

"Hungry?" Q walked out of the alley, not looking to see if Picard followed.

The captain didn't answer, but walked after him, curious as to where Q would take him.

It didn't take long for him to find out. They came to a stop at the entrance to a café. Picard stared. It had a large spaceship over the entrance. He knew that the town of Roswell had used the supposed 'crash' to attract visitors, but he didn't know it was to this extent.

Q interrupted his thoughts. "You aint' seen nothing yet, Mon Capitan. Just wait until you get a look at their menus!" He laughed as he entered the Crashdown Café. This time, he held the door for Picard, waiting for him to follow. They were seated, given menus, and told that their waitress would be there shortly to take their orders.

Just then, a girl with long brown hair walked past their table with a tray of food for a group near them. Picard recognized her from a couple of the photos in the book Q had left them. He looked to the man sitting across from him. He was startled to see Q staring back at him.

"Ahh, so you do recognize her. I'm impressed."

"I recognize her face, but I know virtually nothing about her. I know almost nothing about all six of them."

"Calm down, Jean-Luc. You are too stressed. Her name is Liz, and she is...oh, what do you humans call it...courting the teens' leader, Max. You remember him? He was the one who looked like a fifty year old in a teen's body; so serious. You two would get along."

Picard said nothing at the barb, but he too had thought that the boy had looked too serious for one so young. Before he could say anything though, the brown-haired girl came over to their table.

"Hi, Mr. Q!" She had him for 6th period English.

Picard's head snapped to look at Q. _How the hell does this girl know Q? _ he fumed. The last thing he had expected was for the obnoxious being to be recognized.

"Hello Liz. Did you have any trouble with the homework?"

Liz gave a small, guilty smile. "Oh, I haven't had a chance to work on it yet."

"Well, that's ok. I don't think anyone else in the class does it at all." Q whispered to her.

She smiled again, and took her little book out of her apron. "Can I take your orders?"

Q glanced at Picard, who just looked stunned.

"I'll take a cheeseburger with cosmic curly fries, and a coke."

She wrote it down, then turned to Picard. He just swallowed, and told her that he would have the same. He was still to stunned to say anything more.

"Ok, that'll be right up." She took their menus and walked through the back door.

"Charming young lady. Very intelligent."

"How exactly does she know you, Q?" Picard demanded through clenched teeth.

"I've been a substitute at the local high school. Let me tell you, it has been one of the most interesting and entertaining things I've ever done. It may just rival our first little encounter."

Picard just shook his head. "And why didn't you feel it important enough to tell us that you had been in contact with the aliens?"

"Because I didn't."

Jean-Luc rubbed his very tired eyes. He didn't push the issue. He didn't have the energy.

Same Alley as before

Commander Riker, Dr. Crusher, and Counselor Troi rematerialized in the alley they had tracked the captain to earlier. Riker was dressed in jeans and a white t-shirt. He had an invisible earpiece in his ear that allowed him to communicate with the Enterprise. It also picked up his voice through the vibrations his voice box sent through his head. This made the device virtually undetectable. Beverly Crusher wore a light green blouse with khaki Capri pants, and white tennis shoes. She carried a large woven handbag that hung by her knees. It carried any emergency medical supplies they might need. Deanna Troi wore a lavender tank top and jeans. Her and Beverly also carried the tiny communicator in their ears. If they ever got split up, they would still be able to communicate with each other and the ship.

They listened as Data gave them directions to where the captain was at the moment.

They left the alley and came to the café. Opening the door, they walked into one of the strangest places any of them had ever seen.

Picard looked up from his meal as his crew walked through the door. He motioned them over to their table. Troi sat next to Q, Dr. Crusher sat next to Picard, and Riker grabbed an empty chair.

Q wiped his mouth and greeted the newcomers. "Ah, commander, ladies, glad you could join us."

Riker glared at him. "Nice of you to leave without a word."

"No problem!"

Riker sighed in frustration. What do you say to someone when nothing seems to upset them?

From across the room, Liz noticed the newcomers join her teacher and his friend.

"Maria, come here," she whispered to her best friend and co-worker, "look at the table where Mr. Q's sitting. Have you ever seen any of those people before in Roswell?"

Maria squinted in the direction Liz was pointing. Just then, Riker turned slightly to get a look around the place. Maria gasped. "No, but that fine bearded man can come back anytime he wants! I'd be happy to serve him..."

Liz laughed. "Maria, he's like way to old for you. Besides, I thought you liked Michael."

Maria snorted. "Michael who? Oh you mean spiky-haired alien boy with the manners of a rock? Please."

Liz just laughed, grabbed some more menus, and went to the table with all the newcomers.

"Welcome to the Crashdown. I'm Liz. I'll give you a few minutes to decide on what you want." She walked back quickly to talk more with her pixie-ish friend.

Deanna Troi looked over to Q. "She was in the pictures."

Picard spoke before Q could. "She's Max's girlfriend."

"Does she know about him?" Dr. Crusher asked as she stole a fry from the captain.

"Apparently, she does." Picard continued. "Q just finished telling me how she was shot a few months ago here in the café. Max healed her."

Just then, Max and Isabel walked in and went straight to their table in the back.

"So?" Isabel started on Max before they had had a chance to sit down. "Did you talk to him?"

"Well, I wouldn't exactly call it 'talking'." Max sighed. "Isabel, just how important is it that I talk to him? Because I don't think he's going to tell me anything voluntarily."

Isabel looked Max directly in the eye. "Max, I don't know what will happen if you don't talk to him. He could get hurt...or worse."

Max frowned. "You have to tell me, Isabel. If it's a matter of life and death, I have to know! I can't help Michael if I don't know what's wrong."

Isabel closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. She was getting a headache from worrying about their friend. "Max, do you remember how, when we were little, Michael used to go through these clumsy spells? How he'd go for a month or two of falling and tripping a lot, then go for a few months without getting hurt?" Max nodded. They used to joke about it as kids. Michael seemed to always be falling down. They would always heal the small, but noticeable bruises on him in the morning before school started. It had stopped once they had started junior high, and none of them had ever really mentioned it since.

Max frowned again, trying to push from his mind what she might be implying. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that Michael is going through another 'clumsy spell', only I don't think it has anything to do with clumsiness."

"Just say it, Isabel!"

"Hank is hurting Michael, OK! I accidentally grabbed a bruise on his arm this morning when I tried to get him to tell me what was wrong. If you had even looked at Michael this morning, you would have known something was off."

"How do you know it was Hank? I mean, how do you know he didn't just bump his arm or something?" Max didn't want this to be the reason...anything but this.

"Because, Max, I saw the bruise. It was a handprint. Made by a large hand. Besides, I asked him if it was Hank. His reaction was enough for me to know it was him."

Max couldn't find anything that could point to another possibility. Besides, he trusted his sister's judgment. He just didn't know how to deal with this.

"But...what can I do? We obviously can't go to Valenti."

"Right, and going to Mom or Dad will guarantee Valenti getting involved."

"What do you think I can do, Isabel? I don't have any experience with this kind of thing."

"I don't know. Talk with Michael first, though. He needs to know that you know now."

Max sighed loudly. He was not looking forward to that conversation.

Deanna Troi watched the two teens cross the uncrowded café and seat themselves. As an empathy, she was used to being able to pick up on the emotions of others, regardless of their species. However, these two felt very different to her. They were very strong in the projection of their feelings. As the two started talking, Deanna suddenly was overwhelmed with emotions from one of them. She sucked in her breath, and closed herself off to them.

Those at her table looked at her expectantly. They knew she had sensed something.

She took in a calming breath and looked up at them. "They have definite high mental abilities, if not telepathy. But it is untrained. I do not even think they know they have it.

"I'm not just picking up very strong emotions, they are projecting them. They are both very upset; almost to the point of panic. But they are also confused. I don't know anything else. I had to cut myself off from them. It was ... overpowering."

Picard turned to Q. "Do you know what is wrong?"

Q shifted his gaze to his drink, which he picked up and held to his mouth. He paused, without drinking.

Riker got impatient. "Q!"

Q took a quick gulp, finishing the drink, and set the glass down. He looked up at the others at the table. "They are worried about their friend, Michael."

"Why? What's wrong with him?" Dr. Crusher's motherly instincts started up when teenagers were concerned. These three were around the same age as her Wesley.

They could see Q get visibly nervous. He started playing with his glass of ice. "I believe they just found out that the was assaulted by his guardian. I believe they call it 'fostering' here."

No one said anything for a while. Child abuse was rarely heard of on Earth in their time.

Dr. Crusher and Counselor Troi started running through a mental list of things they would have to do once the six were on board.

"How badly? Will he require medical attention?" Beverly was ready to go find the boy now, just to make sure he was safe.

"I'm not sure. The only injury I've seen is a large bruise on his arm from being grabbed. I honestly don't know how long it has been going on, or to what extent. I wasn't even aware of the situation until I noticed the way he was carrying his arm."

The crew of the Enterprise had never seen Q this flustered or uncertain before.

"Are there anymore surprises you would like to inform me of before wi go on from here?" Picard didn't know how it was possible for the situation to get more complicated, but it was always an option when Q was involved.

"Well, there is once thing."

They all went silent, and stared at Q.

"Their enemies just figured out these three are in Roswell and are on their way here. They should arrive in approximately ten hours."

Max and Isabel continued talking about what to do about Michael after they ordered and received their food. They went over every possible option they could think of from talking to Valenti, to leaving Roswell together. By then, it was 8pm, and they had been there for two hours. They were both mentally exhausted.

"Max, we have to do something. All I can see is that bruise on his arm, and worry that he's being hurt right now! He can't stay there anymore."

"I know," he whispered, "but I don't know what to do, Isabel."

"Well, I do," she said firmly, "We're going over there right now and getting him, whether he wants us to or not. He can sleep on your floor until we can think of a better plan."

"What! Isabel, we can't just force him to come home with us. You know how Michael is. He won't do anything he doesn't want to do. The only chance we have of getting him back here is knocking him out and tying him up!"

Isabel gave him a look of ice. "If that's what it takes, then that's what we'll do."

Max sighed. There was no dealing with Isabel when she was this way. Her and Michael were the same in that regard: once they made up their minds, there was no changing them. She would go, with or without him.

"Fine. We'll go check on him, but if he's not been hurt, and he doesn't want to come back with us, then we won't force him to...tonight." He added the 'tonight' before she could object. "Then, tomorrow, we can try convincing him to stay with us until we have a better plan. Ok?"

Isabel nodded in agreement. He grabbed the check that had sat there for over half an hour already and they both got up to leave.

Picard saw the siblings leave their seats. "Counselor, see if you can determine the state they are in now. I don't want to have to kidnap already panicked teenagers."

Deanna nodded, closed her eyes, and let down her shields. She felt everyone in the now-crowded café, but she was able to immediately distinguish the two aliens out of the crowd of emotions. She focused on them, and blocked the other people out.

Max looked up suddenly. He glanced over at his sister. She also looked startled. "Did you feel that?"

She nodded. "It feels like someone just brushed past me, only it's still there."

"Yeah." He looked around the café for anything out of the ordinary. He saw the substitute, Mr. Q, looking at them. The man smiled at him, and Max forced a slight smile in return. He then turned back to his sister. "I have no clue what that was, but we should get out of here."

She nodded again, and they left the Crashdown.

Deanna opened her eyes as the teens exited the café. She looked across the table at the captain. "They are calmer and not as panicked. They're still scared, though. I felt it very clearly." She paused. "They were also able to detect what I was doing."

Dr. Crusher frowned. "How? They didn't seem to the first time you picked up on what they were feeling."

"When they first came in, I was open to everyone in the café. They were broadcasting so loudly, it really didn't take any effort on my part to read them. The second time, though, I was focusing on them. Their minds felt somewhat like a Betazoid infant's: undeveloped, but still very powerful. When they felt my mind, they both had the instinct to raise mental shields. However, they aren't developed enough to do much."

The group sat, thinking, about this for a moment before deciding what to do. They didn't have to wait long.

Q's hand suddenly tightened on his empty glass, and he sat up straight. "Uh, oh."

They all looked at him, startled.

"'Uh, oh' what, Q? What's wrong?" Picard was still getting used to this side of Q; the side that could be confused or uncertain.

"It looks like you'll have to get involved earlier than I'd planned. Michael's in trouble."

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Next: Ch7-_Planned and Unplanned Rescues_ (warning: scenes will involve child abuse)


	7. Planned and Unplanned Rescues

A/N: Warning, this chapter contains child abuse   
Chapter 7-Planned and Unplanned Rescues 

**-----Hank's Trailer-----**

Michael awoke with a start to the sound of glass shattering. At first he thought someone must be breaking into the trailer. However, the sound was soon followed by another crash, and he recognized it to be a bottle being smashed against a hard surface. He had heard it often enough when Hank ran out of beer before having the chance to pass out. Cringing at the sound of a third bottle breaking, Michael sat up and swung his legs to the side of his bed. Staying in the trailer when Hank got into one of his moods was never a good idea. Michael stood up and went to the window to make his escape before Hank remembered he was here.

He had the window a quarter of the way up when he heard his door being opened, slamming into the wall. He turned around in time to see Hank enter his room.

**-----Crashdown Café-----**

Q quickly paid for the food, and the group gathered on the sidewalk under the mini-spaceship.

"What's going on, Q? Did you miscalculate the time it would take the Verrans to arrive?"

"Or is the problem closer to home?" Dr. Crusher interrupted Riker, clutching her medical bag closer, ready to use it.

Q started walking, without speaking. They followed, confused by Q's actions. In the years he had plagued their ship, he had always been confident, cocky, arrogant, and unshakable. Now, he was flustered and uncertain of what was going on.

Picard had dealt with people in similar situations often enough to know that sometimes being simple, stern, and short with them can snap them out of the shock or panic they find themselves in. And Q was currently in some kind of situation.

"Q!" Picard barked. "What's happened?" He grabbed the being's arm, bringing him to a stop, and swinging him around to face them.

It seemed to work. Q's eyes focused on the captain, and he quickly shrugged the man's hand off his shoulder. He seemed to remember who he was, and his confidence quickly returned. "It's not the aliens. I'm never wrong in my calculations. It's that man that 'fosters' the boy. I believe he has had a few too many alcoholic beverages, and if we do not intervene, he will kill his young charge."

**-----Hank's Trailer-----  
**Michael spun away from the window, but it was useless. Hank had already seen him there. The drunk man lurched toward him, arms outstretched to make a grab at him. Michael quickly jumped out of the way, and into a corner. The only way out of the room was being blocked by his bed. With no time to think about it, he jumped up on the bed. As he went to jump off the other side, he felt a hand grab his right ankle and pull hard.

"Oh no, you don't!" Hank slurred.

Michael fell half on the bed, his head hitting the floor. With a kick, he freed his leg from Hank's grip. He quickly scrambled off the bed and out the door on all fours, trying to get to his feet without loosing speed. He got through the short hallway before he could stand. Running to the door, he grabbed the handle when he felt a sharp pain pierce his hand. Instinctively, he jerked his hand back and turned it over. He saw several brown glass shards imbedded in his palm. Looking down, he saw that the knees of his jeans were covered in glass and blood. He had crawled through the broken bottles without realizing it. Knowing that he was wasting time, he grabbed the handle again, ignoring the pain this time.

Before he could turn it to open the door, Hank grabbed his hair and jerked him off-balance again. He landed on his back between the kitchen and the living room, which were so close in space there was no distinguishing them as separate rooms.

"And where do you think you're going, you ungrateful bastard? I'm in charge here, and I decide when and if you go anywhere! You hear me?" He emphasized each sentence with a hard kick to Michael's stomach. The wind knocked out of him, Michael silently curled up on the floor to protect his stomach and head, praying Hank would be finished working off his frustration of the day soon. "Are you listening to me, you good-for-nothing brat?" Hank grabbed an empty bottle and threw it at the boy. It missed, but shattered next to him, showering him in glass. "Get your lazy ass off the floor and clean up this mess! Now!"

Breathing heavily, Michael slowly uncurled and rolled up to his knees. Wincing as the glass was driven further into his skin, he stood facing his foster father. The man was drenched in sweat, and his face was beet red. His eyes were glazed and bloodshot, showing just how drunk he was.   
"Don't just stand there like an idiot, get a broom and clean up this mess!"

Michael knew better than to argue with him, and went to get the broom next to the refrigerator. As he reached for it, he remembered the glass in his hand. Looking down, he saw his palms were covered in blood and glass. Knowing the man wouldn't care, he gently grasped the broom anyway. His hands wouldn't close around the handle, and the broom fell to the floor with a clatter. He glanced up at Hank, who stared back at him for a few heartbeats.

**-----Outside the Crashdown-----**

The group stared at him in silence for a second.

"Well, where is he? Give us the coordinates so we can transport there." Demanded Dr. Crusher.

"He lives in what you human's called a 'trailer park', which is really a shack on wheels. And there's no need to transport." With a snap of his fingers, they all disappeared in a flash of light.

**-----Hank's Trailer-----**

"Well, pick it up."

"I can't, my hands..." He tried showing the man, but quickly realized that this was not going to win him anything.

"Pick it up," Hank repeated in a deadly quiet voice.

"I can't!" Michael yelled, frustrated.

Hank bent down, and grabbed the broom. He grasped Michael's wrist and shoved the handle into his hands. "I said clean this up. Now, do it boy."

Michael cried out as the handle was pressed into his bleeding palm, and tried to shove the man away. Before he could even take a step, he was back-handed hard, and spun into the counter top.

"Oh, you want to fight me, huh? Gonna be a big man, and fight me? Go ahead, fight little boy!" Hank grabbed Michael by the shoulders and spun him around to face him before pinning him against the counter. Its sharp edge cut into the small of Michael's back, and he tried to push forward unsuccessfully against the man who was twice his size. "That's right, try and fight me." He grabbed the front of the boy's shirt in one hand, and back-handed him again with the other. He saw stars, but didn't fall this time due to Hank's hold on him. "Fight me!" Hank screamed, spittle flying all over Michael's face in his rage.

_Oh god_, Michael thought, _he's going to kill me!_

**-----Outside Hank's trailer-----**

Q and the officers of the Enterprise rematerialized in front of what was indeed a shack on wheels. They quickly got their bearings, and before they could yell at Q for transporting them in front of pedestrians, the sound of screaming drew their attention to the trailer in front of them. Picard and Riker quickly got their modified phasers out. They had replicated the weapons to look like this time period's guns. However, instead of bullets, they fired the same debilitating pulse their phasers did. Right now, they were set on stun.

Deanna quickly gasped and grabbed her head, leaning forward. "Quick, help him!"

Picard spun back to the trailer and ran up the steps, Riker and Dr. Crusher on his heels. He opened the screen door, and pushed the second door open.

"Freeze!" He commanded, his gun pointing at who he guessed was Hank. He saw the boy he recognized as Michael being pushed against the counter. Hank turned in surprise, not letting go of Michael's shirt. "Who the fuck'r you?"

Picard moved further into the trailer, allowing Riker and Dr. Crusher to enter behind him. Riker also had his phaser pointed at Hank. "Let the boy go!"

Hank looked at Riker. "Get outta my house or I'll call the cops!"

Dr. Crusher was quickly assessing the boy's injuries from where she stood with her tricorder. "And tell them what? How we interrupted your attempt to kill this boy?" She was keeping her anger at bay, but just barely. She could tell that the boy had several deep cuts and a possible concussion, but until she got closer, she couldn't tell if that was all.

The stars in front of Michael's eyes went away as he focused on the three people who had just entered. Confused, but grateful, he noticed that Hanks grip on his shirt was loose. When he began to regain his senses, he realized that when the police got there they would not only take him away from Roswell, but to a hospital. He couldn't chance them figuring out he wasn't human. Panicking, he shoved Hank away and ran for the door.

Riker saw Michael make a break for the door, and moved to block him. Michael shouldered his way past the man and reached the door. He felt someone grab the collar of his shirt, choking him, and spin him around. Picard had been startled by the boy's sudden escape attempt, but when he saw Hank grab the boy's collar, he quickly fired his phaser at the man, knocking him unconscious. He fell to the ground, releasing Michael.

Michael stood there, stunned, staring at the man who had fired what looked like a gun. When Picard took a step toward him, he spun around, and flew out the door.

Q and Deanna were still outside, listening to the short exchange going on inside the trailer. When the door flew open to reveal a very panicked Michael, Q quickly grabbed him with both arms, wrapping them around the boy's arms, effectively pinning them to his sides. Startled by the sudden stop in momentum, Michael struggled to get out of the steel grip. Q was not thrown off balance in the least by the struggling teenager. He didn't move or loosen his grip as the rest of the away team exited the trailer in pursuit of the boy. They all came to a halt when they saw that Q had him.

"Stop it, we aren't going to hurt you. In case you hadn't noticed, we just saved your life. Michael, stop!" At this, Michael did stop. He thought he recognized the voice. Looking up, he saw 'Mr. Q'.

Confused by the presence of a substitute teacher and his friends with ray guns, he voiced the only thing he could think of. "What's going on? What are you doing here?"

"Do you promise not to take off running if I let you go?"

Michael nodded hesitantly, and Q slowly let him go. By now, the away team had moved around them, blocking off any escape. Michael slowly looked around at all of them. Before he could ask them any questions, the lights of an approaching vehicle blinded them.

Max and Isabel had driven in silence all the way to the trailer park. When they reached Michael's home, they were startled to see their friend surrounded by a group of people, including their substitute teacher. Max swung the jeep into the yard next to them, and jumped out. Isabel jumped out her side, and ran to join her brother. They both tried to run to Michael, but were stopped by the two men they had seen with Mr. Q at the Crashdown earlier.

"Who are you? Let us go! Michael!" Max tried to shrug Riker off him, but couldn't. He could see his friend over Riker's shoulder, and he could tell that he was hurt, he just couldn't tell how badly.

The sound of sirens suddenly broke through the yelling, and flashing lights could be seen approaching them.

Picard struggled with Isabel as he said, "Enterprise, seven to beam up. Have a medical team meet us. Energize!" The Enterprise crew and three teenagers were suddenly transported away from the trailer park, and Q followed them in a flash of light.

Next time: Chapter 8-_Run Away!!_


End file.
